Hook.



v v Patenfedluly 9,1901.

T. .1. BROWNING.-

HUDK.

(Application filed Mar. 5, 1901.)

- 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

[III/wife)? Paten ted July 9, 19m. T. J. BROWN|NG.

HOOK.

(Application filed Mar. 5 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model) jmieizfa UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

TILLIE J. BROWNING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 678,096, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed March 5., 19 0 14 Serial No. 49.827- (No model.)

One object of my invention is the produotion of a hook which shall be constructed so that when sewed to the garment it will be held in firm and immovable position and so that in securing the same to the garmentthe fabric adjacent to the front of the hook will be drawn up on a substantial level with the bill of the hook, thus concealing the front end of the hook from view and .causing it to rest in a sort of pocket or relatively-depressed portion of the fabric, whereby when the two sections of the garment are secured together by engaging the eye with the hook the said two sections of the garment will lie flatagainst each other Without any gaping between them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a special member around. which the securing-thread may be passed to secure the front of the hook to the garment instead of passing the securing-thread around the front of the shank. ment is objectionable, in that the thread has a tendency to slip back upon the shank of the hook.

Another object of the invention is to prevent that part of the garment through which the said securing-thread is stitched from sink ing by strain beneath that part of the front of the hook around which the securing-thread extends.

Another object of the invention is to so con:

struct this thread-engaging member that it around which the securing-thread is passed I that the stitches may be sewed on successively or side by side instead of' b e'ingbunched one over the other at aboutthe'same point, thus distributing the strain on the garment This latter mode of attach-' or on the end of the hook across substantially the entire width of the hook.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the eye, when in use, contacting with the thread.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring-bill which will efieotively aid in holding the eye in place.

Another object of the invention is to combine these advantages or'a plurality of them in a unitary structure, thereby providing a hook which, I believe, is superior to those on the market, not only by virtue of its possession of some or all of the advantages heretopermitting it to be made cheaply-and without difficulty.

I will now describe several specific embodi- ,ments of my invention, in some of which all and in others of which the major part of the modified form of hook. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively plan and side views of another modification. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are respectively plan, side, and end views of another modification. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are respectively plan, side, and end views of another modification. Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are respectively plan, side, and end views of another modification. Figs. 17, 18, and 19 are respectively plan, side, and end views of another modification. Fig. 20 is a sectional view ;through the fabricand the longitudinal center of the book of Figs. 1, 2, and Fig. 21

is asection on the line 21 21, Fig. 20.

In my preferred construction (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) the wire forming one shank portion, A, is shown as bent at the front of the .hook upwardly and thence backwardly to form one side, B, of the bill, just as in the ordinary hook. The wire forming the other shank portion, A, is bent at the forward part of the hook upwardly, thence backwardly transversely toward shank A and side B of the bill, forwardly transversely in a substan: tially straight line toward shank A, and backfore enumerated, but also by reason of the extreme simplicity of its structures, thereby wardly to form the other side, B, of the bill, the two sides of the bill merging at the rear end. The hook, it will be observed, is thus made of asingle piece of wire. The said successive backward, transverse, forward and transverse bends serve to form a loop 0. The last-mentioned or straight transverse bend extends above the first-mentioned backward bend at about the point where said last-mentioned or straight transverse bend merges into side B of the bill and forms a cross-bar 0, around which passes the thread which secures the front of the hook to the garment. This hook attains all the objects of the invention and possesses all the advantages of the invention heretofore enumerated. The hook is secured to the garment by successive stitches across the single thickness of wire extending transversely across the front of the hook. This is preferable to sewing around two bars, as in the specific structure shown in my renewal application, Serial No. 46,300, filed February 7, 1901, as it is easier and more satisfactory to sew around one thickness of wire than two thicknesses thereof and enables less thread to be used, and the less thread used the less liability to stretch from strain. The thread cannot slip back upon the shank, because it is not passed around the front of the shank, as in the ordinary hook. Thegarment when the hook is sewed thereto is drawn up in front of the hook onto a substantial level with the bill of the hook and, indeed, somewhat above that level, thus causing the hook to rest in a sort of pocket formed by the garment itself, as shown in Figs. 20 and 21, in which figures the ends of two sections of garment are shown hooked together, the eye X being engaged with the hook A B O. This produces an invisible hook and permits its attachment close to the edge of the garment. It avoids any gaping between the two sections of the garment when hooked together by means of an ordinary eye, whether the hook is secured close to or remote from the edge of the garment. It is also obvious that the eye when in use cannot contact with the thread, as the cross-bar extends above the upward and backward extensions with which the eye engages. It will also be observed that in this form of hook the cross-bar c is about on the same vertical plane as the upward bends from the shank portions. Therefore when the garment is secured to the cross-bar it will be drawn up so as to rest immediately above the upward and backward bends from the shank portions. This prevents the garment from dropping underneath the bar. Further,when the two sections of garment are brought together and the eye engaged with the hook both hook and eye are hidden from view no matter how close to the edge the hook may be secured. \Vhen the ordinary curved or semicircular eye is used, a special member having a swell or hump is unnecessary, as the bill is wide enough to form a spring-engaging end. When a straight or surface eye is used, it is desirable to provide a member having a swell or hump, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 4 and 5. Another advantage of the hook is that the eye when engagedtherewith is held rigid and cannot upset that is, move upwardly on its transverse portion as an axis. The hook can be made cheaply and without complicated machinery.

The cross-bar 0 may be in the same vertical plane as the upward bends from the shank portions, as shown, or it may be somewhat in front or somewhat back of these bends. In other words, it is not necessary to adhere to the exact proportions shown. The extension from either shank A or A may be bent to form the loop. 4

The description of the preferred form applies to the modification shown in Figs. 6 and '7, except that the loop (lettered F) is in the form of a circle. In this form D D are the shank portions, and E E the bill. The hook possesses substantially all the ad vantages of the preferred form.

The description of the preferred form applies equally to the modification shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, except that the cross-bar (lettered 1}) extends below the first-mentioned backward bend. In this form Gr G are the shank portions, H H the bill, and I the loop. This hook possesses substantially all the advantages of the preferred form, except that the securing thread may contact with a straight eye. The garment when the hook is sewed thereto is not drawn up to quite so high a level as in the preferred form, although it is drawn up practically-to a level with the bill.

The description of the preferred form applies equally to the modification shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, except that the front part of the loop is bent to a lower level than the rear part of the loop and extends a substantial distance in front of the upward bends from the shank portions. In this form K K are the shank portions; LL, the bill; M, the loop, and m the cross-bar. This hook possesses substantially all the advantages of the preferred form, except that the garment when the hook is sewed thereto is drawn up to a level about midway between the level of the shank and bill.

The description of the preferred form applies equally to the modificationshown in Figs. 14:, 15, and 16, except that instead of the extension from shank N being bent to form a pronounced loop it is first bent upwardly, then transversely, as at p, then bent back upon itself transversely in the opposite direction, as at p, and then backwardly to form one side 0 of the hill 0 O. The loop P, formed by these transverse bends or cross-bars p 19', will be more or less narrow, dependent upon how closely the cross-bars p 19 are brought together. The cross'bar 19 preferably extends a substantial distance in front of the upward bends from the shank portions N N. This hook possesses substantially all the advantages of the preferred form, particularly if the securing-thread is passed around the front cross-bar only, which is preferable, although itmay, if desired, be passed around both bars.

The description of the preferred form does not as a whole apply to the modification shownin Figs. 17, 18, and 19. As in the preferred form, the wire forming one shank portion, Q, is shown as bent upwardly and thence backwardly to form one side Rof the bill. The hook is also provided with a loop S; but, unlike in the preferred form, the loop is on a level with the shank. The wire forming the other shank portion, Q, of the hook is bent transversely toward shank Q in a substantially straight line to form a cross-bar 8,

, around which the securing-thread is passed,

thence backwardly transversely toward shank Q, forwardly, (extending under cross-bar s and completing the loop 55,) and thence upwardly and backwardly to form the other side R of the bill. This hook possesses substantially all the advantages of the preferred form, except that the garment is not drawn up above the level of the shank and that the securing-thread may contact with a straight eye.

It is not essential in any of the embodiments of my invention hereinbefore described that the transverse loops 0 F I M P S or cross-bars c t m p 5 shall extend the entire width of the hook.

It will be obvious that any of the described forms may be modified without departing from my invention, and I do not confine myself to any of the specific forms described.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments consisting of a continuous wire forming two longitudinally-extending shank portions, a longitudinally-extending bill and a transversely-extending loop, one end of the 'loop merging into the front ofone of the shank portions, the other end of the loop merging into one side of the front of the bill, and the other side of the bill merging into the other shank portion, substantially as described.

' hook, substantially as described.

3. Asa new article of manufacture, a hook for garments consisting of a continuous wire forming twolongitudinallyextending and substantially parallel shank portions, a longitudinally-extending bill overlying the shank portions and a loop at the front part of the hook, that part of the wire formingthe loop lying in substantially. one horizontal plane,

one end of the loop merging into the front part of one of the shank portions, the other end of the loop merging into one side of the .front part of the bill and the other side of the front part of the bill merging into the front part of the other shank portion, substantially as described.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments consisting of two longitudinallyextending and substantially parallel shank portions, a longitudinally=extendingbill overlying the shank portions, and a transverselyextending loop in which the wire forming one of the shank portions is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively toward and from the other shank portion to form the loop, and thence backwardly, while the wire forming the other shank portion is, at the front part of the hook, bent backwardly, the said backward bends forming the bill of the hook, substantially as described.

5. As a new article-of manufacture, a hook for garments, having two longitudinally-extending shanks substantially equidistant from an imaginary line bisecting the hook longitudinally, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent transversely toward the other shank'and thence "bent transversely back toward the first-named shank, said transverse bends intersecting each other and forming a loop bridging the space between the front of the two shanks, substantially as described.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook,

' bent transversely toward the other shank and thence bent transversely back toward the first-named shank, and thence backwardly to form one side of the bill of the hook,-said transverse bends intersecting each other at or close to the front of the shank and bill, substantially as described.

the other side of the bill of the hook, substantially as described. r

8. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments having two longitudinally-extending and substantially parallel shanks,

non-contiguous and substantially equidistant from an imaginary line bisecting the hook longitudinally, in which the wire forming one of the'shan ks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the first:

named shank, thus forming a loop having a transversely extending thread engaging member located at the front of the hook, the

said successive upward and backward bends,

merging into and forming a continuation of the front of the first-named shank, substantially as described.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the firstnamed shank, thus forming a loop having bends which intersect at a point substantially at the top of the upward bend, substantially as described.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front partof the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the firstnamed shank, and thence backwardly to form one side of the bill, while the wire forming the other shank is, at the front part of the hook, bent upwardly and backwardly to form the other side of the bill, substantially as described.

11. Asanew article of manufacture, a hook for garments in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the firstnamed shank, thus forming a loop having bends which intersect at a point substantially at the top of the upward bend, the said wire being bent, beyond the point of intersection, backwardly to form one side of the bill, while the-wire forming the other shank is, at the front part of the hook, bent upwardly and backwardly to form the other side of the bill, substantially as described.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the firstnamed shank, thus forming a loop having bends which intersect ata point substantially at the top of the upward bend, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop, substantially as described.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively upwardly, backwardly, transversely toward the other shank, forwardly, and transversely toward the firstnamed shank, thus forming a loop having bends which intersect at a point substantially at the top ofthe upward bend, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop, the said wire being bent, beyond the point of intersection, backwardly to form one side of the bill, while the wire forming the other shank is, at the front part of the hook, bent upwardly and backwardly to form the other side of the bill, substantially as described.

14. Asa new article of manufacture,a hook for garments having two shanks substantially equidistant from an imaginary line bisecting the hook longitudinally, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively toward and from the other shank to form a loop, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop at one of the front corners of the hook and the loop bridging the space between the two shanks, substantially as described.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments consisting of two longitudinallyextending shanks, a bill consisting of two longitudinally-extending sides overlying the shanks and a loop at the front of the hook that bridges the space between the shanks and between the sidesof the bill, in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent successively toward and from the other shank to form the loop, and thence backwardly, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop, while the wire forming the other shank is, at the front part of the hook, bent backwardly, the said backward bends forming the bill of the hook, substantially as described.

16. As anew article of manufacture, ahook for garments, having two shanks substantially equidistant from an imaginary line bisect-ing the hook longitudinally in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent transversely toward the other shank and thence benttrans- Versely back toward the first-named shank, said transverse bends intersecting each other and forming a loop, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop and the loop bridging the space between the shanks, substantially as described.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a hook for garments in which the wire forming one of the shanks is, at the front part of the hook, bent transversely toward the other shank and thence bent transversely back toward the first-named shank, and thence backwardly to form one side of the bill of the hook, said transverse bends intersecting each other and forming a loop, the last bend of the loop being above the first bend of the loop, while the wire forming the other shank is, at the front part of the hook, bent backwardly to form the other side of the bill of the hook, substantially as described.

18. Asa new article of manufacture, a hook forgarrnents consisting of two longitudinallyextending shank portions forming the two sides of the hook, a longitudinally-extending bill and a transversely-extending loop, said loop being formed by portions of the wire ex- IIO tending in a substantially horizontal direc- In testimony of which invention I have tion located betweenthe Wiresformingthetwo hereunto set my hand at Philadelphia on shank portions and the two sides of the bill, this 4th day of March, 1901. I said loop being integral with the shank fornn- TILLIE J. BROWNING.

5 ing one side of the hook and disconnected Witnesses:

from the shank forming the other side of the M. F. ELLIS, hook, substantially as described. G. I. HUTTON. 

